


Arwen's Gift

by SusanaR



Series: Teenaged Faramir AU of AU of Legendary Friendship and Desperate Hours AUs [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Backstory, Brother-Sister Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Faramir-as-Aragorn's Son, Gen, Romantic Friendship, Sibling friendship, Young Faramir, past dubious consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 04:44:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14762819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SusanaR/pseuds/SusanaR
Summary: Aragorn had never betrayed Arwen, not once in all their long years of waiting. But Finduilas of Dol Amroth once stole a son from Aragorn, without his consent. Arwen has her own feelings about this, but they come third. First, there is Aragorn's son, young Faramir, whom she already loves. And then there is her husband, who was betrayed. Arwen thinks that her role is to help them both as much as she can, and she would do anything for them. Fortunately, she has her brothers and their mentor Glorfindel to help her.





	Arwen's Gift

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a missing-scene from "Truth Revealed," my story co-written with Beth in which Aragorn finally learns what Faramir has always known - that Faramir is his son. "Truth Revealed" can be found here: 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/13948197/chapters/32105715
> 
> "Truth Revealed" is a sequel to "One Good Turn," a teenaged Faramir and teenaged Legolas AU friendship story, which can be found here: 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/11024640/chapters/24569409

“Our dwarven friend and his crews have worked miracles here,” Elrohir Elrondion complimented as he accompanied his sister through the partially rebuilt Great Gates into the First Level of Minas Tirith. 

“Yes,” Arwen agreed, most of her mind on other, more sensitive matters, “We are very fortunate that Gimli was willing to take on the task. And it was a good thing that Faramir figured out a way around Guild Master Enedon’s specious argument that the Crown and Council couldn’t go outside the Stone Workers’ Guild for plans to rebuild the Gate.”

“He’s cleverer and more patient about legalistic things than Aragorn, fortunately for all of us,” Elrohir agreed, “As our Father often says, a clever child is a boon as well as a burden.” 

Arwen couldn’t repress a smile at that, “He’s said so but rarely to me.” It was something their father said most often to comfort his twin sons after he’d had to punish them for some mischief or reckless deed. 

Elrohir sneered elegantly at his sister, but disdained to answer. Instead his intent gray gaze took in the crowds around them as they traversed the First Level streets. 

“I’m most worried about Father, actually,” Arwen confessed to her elder brother, just as they rode through the open stone gates to the Second Level. 

“I am, as well,” Elrohir admitted, seemingly almost against his own will, “Aragorn wants the youth. We all agreed on that before searching out proof. Father, on the other hand, has not been here to see how close Aragorn and Faramir have become. And Father is very protective of you, besides.” 

“Faramir is no threat to me.” 

“Yes, we all know that,” Elrohir replied patiently, “but Father hasn’t completely trusted his human nephews’ judgment since Isildur. Although Aragorn has redeemed that to a not insignificant degree. But there’s no point worrying on that until Ada returns to Minas Tirith. Just focus on what to say to your husband our brother for now.” 

“He’s not my brother,” Arwen reminded Elrohir, as she always did. 

“Well, you married him, so now he is indubitably mine,” Elrohir returned, his standard reply since his sister’s marriage. 

“Mmm,” Arwen said, conceding that point as she wondered how to explain this blessing-hidden-within-a-deceit-and-betrayal to Aragorn. 

“Aragorn will come around once he realizes that this means he won’t have to fight anyone for guardianship of Faramir, not even Faramir,” Elrohir said after they’d ridden in silence for a time. 

“Aragorn will want Faramir as his son, that I don’t doubt,” Arwen agreed quietly as they rode past the homes on the Fourth Level of the city, “What I’m struggling with is how to tell him . . .” the half-elven Queen stopped short of using ugly words, and finished, “that he was taken advantage of by those he trusted.” 

“Straight out, sister-dear,” Elrohir recommended gravely, “There’s nothing else for it. Unless you wish to wait until Elladan and Glorfindel return with Kasimir so that he may confirm the sad tale?” 

Arwen, her brothers, and Glorfindel the Captain of their father’s Guard had ridden out the better part of a week ago to seek out one Kasimir, a former servant of the old Lord Steward Ecthelion, and then the former Lord Steward Denethor. Arwen had learned from the ladies and retired retainers of Gondor that Kasimir had been the servant of Denethor’s who was most trusted by the Lady Finduilas. If anyone had known the information Arwen and her brothers had been seeking it out, she was told that such a man would be Kasimir. 

And he had known. Elrohir’s and Elladan’s certainty that Faramir was not Denethor’s son, based on the youth’s medical record, had over time become a suspicion that Faramir was either the son of Aragorn or Aragorn’s cousin Halbarad. It had been the youth’s rare allergies to poppy and Southron spices, allergies that he shared with Aragorn and certain other members of Aragorn’s grandmother Ivorwen’s family, that had convinced Arwen’s brothers. Part of Arwen had known as soon as she realized that Faramir had Aragorn’s mother Gilraen’s smile. 

Arwen had known, too, that Aragorn did not know. If he’d broken her trust in such a way, Aragorn was too honorable to hide it. So how it could be that Aragorn was a father to Faramir and did not know it, Arwen had not known.

And it had been true that Ivorwen’s grandson by Halbarad may also have shared his aunt Gilraen’s smile. But part of Arwen had become gradually more and more certain that Faramir was Aragorn’s son. That part of her was almost glad to have the truth known. And surely, what they’d gained – the honorable, kind mostly-grown child they had gained – was more than worth the innocence and trust Aragorn had lost? 

The old man Kasimir had been the one to slip a drug into Aragorn’s drink the night that he had later lain with Finduilas and fathered Faramir. Elladan and Glorfindel were bringing the elderly fellow to Minas Tirith gradually and gently, by wagon. He had agreed to testify to what he knew in front of the King, and whatsoever other authorities Arwen asked. 

“I’m so proud of Ethiron,” Elrohir said fondly to his younger sister, interrupting her chain of thought, as they rode through the gates of the Seventh Level into the main Citadel courtyard, “His fellows have had an unobtrusive eye on us since the Third Level.” 

“The First Level,” Arwen corrected, with a distracted grin. It was always nice to be able to ‘one up’ her oldest brother, and correct him, “Although really, these are Dervorin’s men.” 

“Ethiron trained Dervorin,” Elrohir countered. 

“You trained Aragorn,” Arwen riposted, “And yet now you lose at least one match of every three to him.” 

“Stupid human muscles,” Elrohir complained with a rueful smile, “That, and he’s a credit to his teachers.” With a thoughtful frown, the peredhel added, “We need to work more with Faramir, though. He’s excellent for his age, but he tends not to press an advantage as far as he can.” 

“I’m sure that time will see you rectify that deficiency,” Arwen soothed, “Look, there he is in the courtyard, with Legolas and Orohael. You can go now and begin.” 

“You’ll speak to Aragorn?” 

“I will.” 

“I’ll come with you, if you like.” 

“I think it’s best done alone. But if you can make sure that he knows, later, that you and Elladan do not blame him, I would appreciate it.” 

“Blame him? Arwen, my little brother was drugged and taken advantage of without his consent. How could I ever blame him for that?” 

“Say that, just that, that’s good,” Arwen praised, wrapping her arms around her older brother to steel herself for what she must reveal to her husband, “Say just that, and avoid using . . . that other word.” 

The word that Elladan and Elrohir had used to describe the act when Kasimir had first confessed it to them. 

“If you insist.” 

“I do. Aragorn won’t want that word associated with our Faramir. Not in any way.” 

“Fair enough,” Elrohir conceded. He hugged his sister tightly, “I will always be here, if you need me. Or if Aragorn does, or Faramir. Elladan will, too.” 

“I know,” Arwen said, and thought on how lucky she was to have that, to know that, before asking her brother, “For now, please go entertain the younglings. And do your best not to let onto Faramir and Legolas that anything is amiss.”

“Fine,” said Elrohir, “I’ll even let Legolas beat me at archery.” 

That made Arwen laugh as her brother walked away, because Elrohir hadn’t had to ‘let’ Legolas beat him at archery in centuries! 

Summoning her courage, she went to find her husband. Guessing that if he hadn’t joined in arms practice with Faramir, he was occupied with some time-sensitive administrative matter, she sought him out in his office. 

“Go ahead, my Lady,” said Master Ciryon, Aragorn’s secretary, who by this point didn’t even blink an eye at Arwen in ranger clothes, “Your husband is with Lord Gimli, Captain Ethiron, and Captain Magordan.” 

Arwen raised an eyebrow at that rather odd assemblage of important persons in her husband’s life, but didn’t let it stop her from opening his office door and slipping inside. 

The expression on Aragorn’s face, though. That stopped Arwen in her tracks. 

“You know, then,” was all she said. 

Her husband sighed, laid a hand on his desk, and started tapping his fingers.

“It seems that I am the last to know,” Aragorn said, after gathering his composure for a moment, “Is the news all over the city, that you have heard it coming back from your trip, my love?” 

“No, nothing like that,” Arwen hastened to assure him, “Elladan and Elrohir suspected. We went to find proof. If I had realized that you would learn some other way while I was gone, I would have told you of our suspicions.”

She left it unsaid that she had not wanted to tell Aragorn that Faramir might be his son, knowing how much Aragorn might want that possibility to be true once it was presented to him, and then have to have taken that away from Aragorn to tell him that Faramir was his cousin, instead. 

“I would have appreciated that, my love,” Aragorn reprimanded mildly, “It did come as something of a shock hearing it from our Faramir not yet an hour ago.” 

“I didn’t realize that Faramir knew,” Arwen said, worrying now about how much the youth she was coming to think of as her son might have suffered for having had that knowledge and no one to share it with. 

Ethiron cleared his throat, and asked, “What proof did you find, my Lady? It seems that we have a sworn statement from the Lady Finduilas, witnessed and signed by the former Chief Archivist and High Priest of Eru before her death. Which is good, but a live witness would be better.” 

Aragorn, meanwhile, was still tapping his fingers on his desk, “Denethor’s man Kasimir, who was as much Finduilas’ servant as his, was there. On the night that we knew Boromir would recover, and that his two friends were beyond saving. Kasimir was there, serving drinks that night. And he was there the next morning, with a hangover cure for me. He told me that he had carried me to bed, and that Finduilas had sat with me until I fell asleep.” 

“Kasimir was privy to Finduilas’ plans that night, and assisted with them,” Arwen said, as gently as she could, “He will swear to it, if we wish him to.” 

Aragorn waved a hand, agreeing to that without words, before saying, “Anything that makes Faramir’s position as our child more secure is worth doing, I think.” 

“Elrohir and Elladan have promised to research elven adoption terms,” Arwen told her husband, “We can have Ciryon or someone else research Gondor’s customs regarding such matters. I want to be his mother, under this kingdom’s laws. And to have him confirmed in the succession after any natural children we have.” 

Aragorn nodded, his gray eyes warm not with relief but with love and appreciation. Arwen didn’t need to have exceeded his expectations. To have met them was enough. 

“I’ll get that in motion,” Ethiron promised. 

“And we’ll leave the two of you to talk,” Gimli suggested, shooing Ethiron and Magordan toward the door, “I’ll keep an eye on your lad as well as my own for now.”

“Thank you, Gimli,” Arwen said warmly, before turning back to Aragorn. She was ready to do anything she possibly could to help Aragorn handle these revelations. None of this was Aragorn’s fault in any way. And Faramir was a gift, however he had come to be.


End file.
